From November till the end of December 390 health workers from all over Europe had the chance to follow the e-learning of the EUR-HUMAN project. The e-learning course for primary health care providers (mostly general practitioners) is one of the tools to enhance the capacity of European member states who accept migrants and refugees in addressing their health needs, safeguard them from risks and minimize cross-border health risks.
The e-learning course is based on the outcomes of different work packages of the EUR-HUMAN project, including outcomes of qualitative research methods addressing the health needs, views and experiences with healthcare of refugees, review of previous research as well as comprehensive collection of tools and guidelines for optimal primary care for refugees. This resulted in an introduction module and seven theoretical modules on the subjects as acute diseases, legal issues, provider-patient interaction, mental health, sexual and reproductive health, child health and chronic diseases and health promotion. The content of the course is written by experts in these fields, the Medical University of Vienna coordinated the efforts, after which Health[e]Foundation converted and implemented them into its e-learning system. The course was provided to health workers in Austria, Italy, Slovenia, Hungary, Greece and Croatia in English as well as their native languages.
Although the time-span of the course was short, the course did make a good start to support health workers to provide primary care for refugees in an informed, integrated, person centered, as well as competent and secure way (for the refugee as well as the provider). Although the project period officially ended, we expect more participants will continue to finish the course. Furthermore Health[e]Foundation is working on a Dutch version which will be broadened with local information and provided in a blended learning method.
